"Wait a minute. You're saying our father is ruler of a planet?" Merrick glanced at his sister before looking back to his mom and her 'friends'.

"Specifically the planet Rothga," Seery replied from the window, where she was keeping an eye out for trouble.

Merrick ran a hand through his dark hair and let out a sigh, "That's not possible." He turned toward his mother, "You told us that he left when we were babies and was never coming back."

All eyes turned to Lady Kylie. "Merrick, I just didn't want the two of you asking after him." She glanced at Zania, who was awfully quiet. "I didn't believe you'd ever meet him or anyone associated with him. So, I figured it was safe to tell you that lie. I'm sorry."

Merrick opened his mouth to argue, but Zania cut him off, "What are Twin Swords?"

"What?" Lady Kylie was caught off guard by her daughters change of subject.

"He," Zanias blue eyes shifted to Nep and then back to her mother, "called us Twin Swords. What are Twin Swords?"

The five guards exchanged looks, but remained silent. Zanias black bangs fell over her eyes as she looked around the room for an answer.

Finally, Grenlo cleared his throat and stepped closer to the table the small family was sitting at. "Lady Kylie, they do not know?" She shook her head. "Then may we tell them?" She nodded, hesitantly. Grenlo glanced at Brot and Seery.

Brot took over watching for Seery and she repositioned so that she could see the two children. "It is a very long story," she warned.

"Then give us the short version," Merrick replied leaning on the table, now completely interested in what these strangers had to say.

"Very well. I will do my best to shorten it. It has been a long time since I've heard the tale," She glanced at the others, "I may need assistance in telling it."

"One, it's not a tale. It's a prophecy," Nep responded.

"Prophecy?" Merrick and Zania questioned.

"Yeah, prophecy. You heard the eight-eyed guy correctly," Brot stated from at the window.

""Brot, some respect. They are the heirs," Seery glared at him. Brot grumbled something but didn't argue. She turned back to the table. "Yes, it's a prophecy. The Twin Sword prophecy. It tells of twin heirs who will lead their people to victory in a war that seems never ending. They will bring peace to the system."

"Oh come off it, Seery. It's more complicated than that," Brot stated. Seery glared at him but said nothing.

""Brot if you do not think she relayed the prophecy well enough, perhaps you should take a shot at it," Grenlo retorted.

"Fine, I will. The Twin Sword prophecy goes back many generations, to the last time when twin heirs existed. They were evil, pure evil. It's said that they are the cause of the never ending war in our system. When they came to power, they had the love of everyone. As time went on they grew power hungry and started wars with other planets. See ruling Rothga wasn't enough. They wanted to rule the system. By the end of their reign, the whole system was at war. The prophecy tells of the swords they left behind. The Twin Swords. They were placed in something, I don't know what, that kept them from being used by anyone. Until the time when new twin heirs were born. These heirs would be able to wield those swords and bring peace back to the system." Brots brow was wrinkled in thought, trying to remember the rest of it. All eyes were on him and the room was silent. "But that peace would come at a price. The twins would have to over come much to earn the trust of their people and then lead them to victory. But, yes, in the end there will be peace in the system again." Brot looked up to see everyone looking at him in shock. "What?!"

"You remembered the whole thing?" Grenlo couldn't believe it.

"Yeah, and? We're talking about the fate of our home system, you know."

"I know. I just thought..." Grenlo trailed off.

"What? That I'd be the last person that would be able to recite the prophecy?"

"If he didn't think that, I did," Nep chimed in. Brot glared at him and he shrugged.

"Wait are you saying that we have to fight in this war if it's ever to end?" Merrick looked like all the color drained from his face.

"Pretty much."

"Okay. Um...so if everyone thinks we're these Twin Swords," Zania started to ask the question on both her and her brothers minds.

"You are the Twin Swords." Grenlo interrupted. "You are the first twins born to the House of Rothga since the twins that started the war."

"They're what are called Hissers. They thrive on the the war and the choas that it creates. They profit on it and if the war ends so does their profit," Seery explained.

"So they are the only ones that want to kill us, aren't they?" Merrick asked, gulping.

"No. The war is all most of the people in our system have known their entire lives. They'd be lost in peace time. That is one of the many obstacles the two of you will have to overcome in this war."

"My children are not going to have any part in this war. I will not have them killed for a place that know nothing about," Lady Kylie raised her voice over the discussion and again the room plummeted into silence.

"Mom. If it's the only way for the war to end, we've got to try," Zania spoke softly, but her voice penetrated the silence.

"Yeah, mom, if we're the only hope for those people. Besides, I'm sure these five will be with us the entire time and they can tell us all about Rothga on the flight there," Merrick added.

"With all due respect, m'lady. They wouldn't be fighting for a place they know nothing about if you hadn't lied to them their entire lives," Brot stabbed finger in the air, as if accusing her of some horrible crime.

"Brot," Grenlo warned.

"No, Grenlo. He's right. And I have a feeling this is an argument I'm not going to win, am I?" Lady Kylies eyes were brimming with tears. Both her children shook their heads. "Alright. Then we shouldn't waste anymore time. Go pack your things. We'll leave tonight."

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